Perhaps the scariest element of being caught in a disaster scenario is the sudden and complete loss of control. As we consider victims of catastrophes like Hurricane Sandy, many of us can’t help but wonder if there are steps we could be taking to better prepare our families for when similar tragedies strike. While stocking emergency supplies of water and canned goods is a great place to start, a less obvious measure simply requires logging into the app store on your smartphone.
There are many smartphone apps that could be difference-makers in disaster situations. You probably know that apps can turn your phone into a camera or flashlight, but did you know they can also convert your phone into an emergency radio, a tracking beacon, and even monitor seismic activity in your area?
Several apps are must-haves for emergency situations and for peace of mind in the meantime. As such, find below 5 top smartphone apps for emergencies and disasters.
1) The Merck Manual: Home Edition
Link to app: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/id331008341?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
The Merck Manual: Home Edition is essentially an encyclopedia for medical emergencies. Over 300 medical experts wrote this manual which provides instructions for scenarios ranging from a sprained ankle to cardiac arrest. The Manual is installed on your smartphone so that it can be accessed even in areas with no cell signals or Wi-Fi connections. The Merck Manual app is easy to navigate, allowing you to search or browse by section, explore an index, or sift through “emergencies & injuries.”
Currently, this app is only available in the Apple App Store; it costs £6.99 and works with your iPhone and iPad.
2) iSurvival – Army Survival and Field Manuals
Link to app: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/isurvival-army-survival-field/id377726228?mt=8
Thanks to smartphones, you no longer have to be in the armed forces to tap into the vast survival knowledge of the United States military. The iSurvival: Army Survival and Field app provides you with mobile-friendly versions of handbooks used by the US Navy Seals, Army Rangers, Air Force and other branches. This app guides its users through first aid procedures, field hygiene and sanitation, map reading, land navigation, and more.
Although it’s debatable just how many people will ever find use for the “Jungle Operations” guide, this app contains a ton of other information that could prove invaluable in catastrophes. The iSurvival app costs £1.49.
3) Red Cross Apps
Link to apps: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cube.arc.efa&hl=en
While the all-in-one approach of the apps above may be convenient, the American Red Cross offers several free apps that could be essential for weathering a specific disaster. The Red Cross offers: Hurricane App, Shelter Finder, First Aid App, Earthquake App, and Wildfire App. Each provides safety and survival tips, depending on the situation.
For example, the Hurricane App gives storm-tracking alerts and shelter addresses dependent on user location. There are also built-in flashlight and strobe functions, as well as one-touch “I’m safe” messaging via social media that provides friends and family peace of mind.
In the days following Hurricane Sandy, Red Cross apps became some of the top downloaded free apps in the entire Apple App Store. Most of the Red Cross apps are also available for Android.
4) CPR & Choking App
Link to app: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/cpr-choking/id314907949?mt=8
And in the same vein, a specific free app is available for situations where someone’s life could be at stake. Developed as a by leading physicians and educators in emergency care at the University of Washington, the CPR & Choking application provides instant information on how to perform CPR and how to aid a choking victim. Although not a substitute for proper training in CPR or choking aid, the app is still very useful for a quick review and provides some very basic techniques that could help save a life.
5) Red Panic Button
Link to app: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/red-panic-button/id422029296?mt=8
The Red Panic Button app is a simple app serving an extremely important function. Simply “pressing” the app’s red button sends out distress emails and SMS messages to a user-selected contact list alerting them that you’re in trouble as well as your GPS location coordinates.
The GPS feature does require connection to Wi-Fi or a 3G network. This app is available for Apple products for £1.99.
Stocking Up On Apps
We rarely have the luxury of knowing when disasters will affect our families, but for about the cost of a 24-pack of bottled water (or free of charge, in some cases) you can be better prepared for the unimaginable.
For apps similar to the ones discussed above, access your smartphone’s app store and search terms “survival” or “natural disaster” or “emergency.”
What are your go-to apps for emergency situations? Have you or someone you know been saved by having smartphone assistance during an emergency?
Norman Fong is President and Co-Founder of BuyVia, an online and iOS App smart shopping service that scours the Internet for the best deals on the best products. Deals on products such as smartphones can be found in any number of ways, including UPC/QR scanning, searching by name, and comparison shopping.